


Worse for Wear

by strand__buckley



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Buck gets sick then Eddie gets sick, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Pre-Relationship Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, This is pure fluff, that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 10:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30070725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strand__buckley/pseuds/strand__buckley
Summary: Buck gets sick. Eddie takes care of him.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 262





	Worse for Wear

**Author's Note:**

> What is this? I don't know.
> 
> I'm going to go make pasta now.

_Buck sneezed_.

Less than a second later he shot up from the couch, eyes wide. “Oh no.” 

Eddie startled as he was jostled unexpectedly at Buck’s sudden movements. Buck glanced around, and locked eyes with Hen.

“ _Oh no_ ,” she echoed. 

He darted for the stairs, making a bee-line to the locker room. He pulled open his locker and started searching frantically.

“Where is it? God, where is it?” he mumbled mindlessly as he pushed clothes and shower products aside as he searched.

“No, no, no, _please_ no, no, no,” Buck continued. In reality, he was being a _bit_ dramatic but this was the last thing he wanted. Not when he’s supposed to take Chris to the movies this weekend.

He’s completely engrossed in his pursuit, rifling through his possessions, that he startles when his locker door is pushed back slamming into the locker next to his.

He looks up and locks eyes with Eddie who’s leaning against the locker, and holding a bottle of Dayquil in front of his face, a sympathetic smile tugging at his lips.

“ _Oh no_ is right,” Eddie proclaims, eyes trailing Buck’s body like he’s looking for any sign that something’s amiss. 

“Where did you get this?” Buck takes the bottle gratefully, opening the lid.

Eddie shrugs and smiles. “Well, I had it in my locker from the last time you were sick.”

Buck thinks back to the last time he caught a cold nearly a year ago. He drank nearly half this bottle in a moment of extreme weakness (listen, _he was dying_ ), and Eddie had yanked it away from his mouth preventing him from consuming the whole thing. “And you kept it?” Buck looked at his friend fondly.

Eddie just shrugged eyes not leaving Bucks’. He smirked then. “You’re welcome.”

Buck rolled his eyes before gripping Eddie’s wrist gently. “Thank you,” he said genuinely.

“Guess it’s safe to say the movies are off this weekend.”

“No, Eddie, _come on_. I’m _fine._ I’ll be okay on Saturday.” Buck pleaded, eyes wide.

“ _Buck_. Need I remind you of the last time you were sick?”

To be fair, Buck’s body actually betrayed him last year. It started with a sneeze and then another, and then another. Followed by pale skin, signaling a fever, and then the chills -

“Don’t forget about the _whining,_ ” Eddie interrupts Buck’s thoughts, “You know — as you’re reminiscing about last year.” The man had the audacity to smirk at Buck then. Moments like this… when Eddie was being just plain _rude_ , made him hate the fact that his best friend knew him so well. _Not really, he loved it._

Buck scoffed and then pouted, before chugging the bottle of Dayquil. He dodged Eddie’s attempt to take it from him in an effort to stop him from drinking the entire thing. “ _Jesus Christ,_ Buck,” Eddie said as he grabbed the already empty bottle from Buck.

Buck winced at the less than enjoyable flavor before sighing. “Yeah well, this time it’s gonna be different. It won’t be as bad, I can feel it.”

Just then, Buck _sneezed._ Followed by a loud groan _._

“Mmhmm, _right_ you can _feel_ it.”

Buck shot him an annoyed look. 

“How about this… In regards to Saturday, we’ll play it by ear, okay?”

Buck sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll take that.”

“Hey, do you think you can make me that — “

Before Buck could finish his sentence, Eddie’s hand shot up, holding a tea packet between his two fingers. He smiled. “Peppermint tea?” Eddie finished Buck’s question. 

“ _My hero._ ” Buck professed, admiration seeping from his tone. 

Eddie smiled, just as the alarm sounded.

They groaned in unison.

“ _Come on_ ,” Buck whined.

“Later,” Eddie promised, as they both ran to their gear. 

+

The five-alarm fire they responded to ended up taking hours to control. Safe to say, Buck had _not_ had a good time. By the end of it, he was sure the grim reaper was hovering over him. 

He told Eddie as much when they climbed back into the truck, utterly exhausted.

His best friend laughed and shook his head. “Dramatic much?”

Buck just shot Eddie a _help me I’m dying_ look before resting his head against the cool window, as the truck slowly made its way back to the station.

+

Turns out later came in the form of Buck curled up on Eddie’s couch after their shift.

Buck had showered quickly when they arrived back at the station. He had opted for a hoodie which he pulled up over his head, shielding himself from the world, and a pair of shorts because his body was revolting against him and refused to settle on one temperature. 

As he turned to walk out of the locker room and head home, Eddie appeared in front of him. “Oh no you don’t.” Eddie grabbed his arm, practically dragging Buck like a rag doll to his truck.

“Eddie, what’s happening?” Buck tried to suppress the nausea he felt at the jerky movements. 

“You’re coming home with me.”

“Wait, what?” Buck questioned. “What about Chris? I don’t want to get him sick. It’s fine Eddie, I can take care of myself.”

They reached Eddie’s truck and he practically lifted Buck into the passenger seat, before walking around and hopping in the driver’s side.

“Okay. One: I’m having Chris stay with his Abuela tonight and tomorrow so I can take care of you, and - ”

“But Eddie - “ Buck interjected.

Before he could finish Eddie put his hand up, effectively stopping him. “ _And_ two: I know you can take care of yourself, but you don’t have to, Buck. Let me help.”

Buck looked down at his hands in his lap. “But it’s just a cold, Eddie, I’ll be fine.”

Eddie sighed and reached out, resting a hand on Buck's thigh, squeezing gently. “Well, I want you near me, where I can make sure _you’re fine_ , okay?”

“Okay,” Buck responded quietly. “Okay,” he said again, meeting Eddie’s vulnerable gaze.

And that’s how Buck ended up here on Eddie’s couch, _whining_ about being hungry but not wanting to eat, or being too hot one second, and then too cold the next. Truthfully, not that Eddie would admit it, but he found it to be endearing... seeing Buck like this.

Eddie reached for Buck’s forehead, feeling the heat radiating from it even before his hand made contact. “Buck, come on. You’re pale, languid, and weak. You need to eat something.”

Buck whined as he pressed his head further into Eddie’s abdomen as he snuggled closer. “ _Eddie_ , come on, I’m not weak, that’s _mean_.”

Eddie chuckled, lightly combing his fingers through Buck’s sweaty hair. When he remembered Buck couldn’t see his face, he said, “Just so you know, I’m rolling my eyes at you right now.”

“And just so _you_ know, if I wasn’t so _pale, languid, and weak_ , I would tackle your ass to the floor right now.” Buck opened one eye, peering up at Eddie.

The older man just smirked and winked. “Okay, prove to me how weak you’re _not_ currently, and do it.”

Buck lifted his head, staring at Eddie, feigning like he was actually thinking about it, before sighing and dropping his head back down on Eddie’s stomach. “Too comfortable,” Buck mumbled as his eyes slipped closed.

“Right,” Eddie said knowingly. He placed his left hand under Buck’s head and lifted, as he grabbed a pillow with his right hand, shifting out from underneath Buck, and placing the pillow underneath his head. Buck made a sound signaling his discontent at the sudden loss of Eddie’s presence. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered.

Buck hummed in acknowledgment. 

A few minutes later Eddie returned and sat down beside Buck’s head. He set down a steaming cup of peppermint tea and a plate of toast with raspberry preserves (B _uck’s favorite_ ) on the coffee table. Eddie then placed a cool washcloth he had draped on his forearm, over Buck’s warm forehead. The younger man sighed in contentment before reaching his hand up and holding the cool cloth on his head as he wormed his body back over to Eddie’s, and placing his head on his best friend’s lap. 

Eddie chuckled before grabbing the pillow again and placing it under Buck’s head so he’d be a bit more comfortable, and resting his hand on Buck’s chest, feeling his steady heartbeat below it. Eddie leaned his head back against the couch and allowed his eyes to close briefly. 

A couple of quiet minutes later, Buck sat up and leaned towards the coffee table. He reached for a piece of toast and started munching on it slowly, eyeing Eddie. 

He grabbed the tea and took a sip, smiling over at his best friend, who had made it just like he had the last time Buck was sick. 

“Thank you,” Buck said quietly. _And a bit congested_ , Eddie noted.

“For what?” Eddie asked like he was genuinely unsure as to why Buck was thanking him.

“What do you mean for what?” Buck questioned. “For _this_ ,” he pointed at the toast and tea. “And for _this_ ,” he motioned around Eddie’s house. “And lastly, for _this_ ,” he pointed at Eddie himself, and the pillow on his lap. “For _you_ ,” Buck specified.

A comfortable silence settled over them as Buck consumed the two pieces of toast and finished the tea, the cool cloth positioned around his neck. Eddie was just content to watch Buck as he ate.

Once Buck was finished, he collapsed against the couch, energy depleted entirely.

Eddie stood and grabbed the dishes before heading to the kitchen, and placing them in the sink. He walked back over to Buck and reached for his hands, grasping them tightly. Buck opened his eyes, about to question what Eddie was doing.

“Come on,” Eddie said before Buck had the chance. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Eddie, I can just sleep here. I don’t want to get you sick.” 

“Buck,” Eddie said sternly, “I want you near me, okay? Plus, I’ve been around you since the start of our shift last night. Odds are, you’ve already infected me with your diseased germs.”

“ _Rude_ , Eddie.” But Buck conceded and let himself be pulled up off the couch by his best friend. 

Once in Eddie’s room, Buck headed straight for the bathroom, brushing his teeth, and splashing cool water on his fevered face. 

As he walked out of the bathroom, Eddie headed in past him. Buck noticed the shirt and shorts waiting for him on the bed. He quickly changed and got into bed. Buck sighed. _So comfy_ he thought to himself. He shut his eyes, exhausted from not only the complete betrayal of his body but also their long twenty-four-hour shift.

He felt the bed dip beside him, and a cool rag being draped over his forehead. He opened his eyes, turning his head slightly, and smiling at Eddie. 

Eddie leaned in and kissed Buck’s cheek. “Get some sleep,” he whispered.

+

Three days later Eddie was even worse for wear than Buck had been the first day he was sick. Eddie had guiltily had Chris stay over at his Abuela’s again, in an effort to avoid his son getting sick. Unfortunately, unable to make it to the movies.

And Buck. Buck was being a mother hen. Tending to all of Eddie’s needs; much to Eddie’s dismay. Because he didn’t _actually_ need anything. Just Buck. Here. With him.

Buck had refused to sit down after he brought Eddie home after shift, moving throughout the kitchen, cooking soup, cleaning Eddie’s house, and doing Chris’s laundry. Eddie knew it was because Buck had this incessant need to always make himself useful, but Eddie wished he would just relax. When Buck walked over to the couch to drape a blanket over Eddie, the older man grasped Buck’s hand and yanked him down.

Buck yelped in mock indignation. 

“Buck. Can you stop moving? Just stop being everywhere but right here next to me.”

Buck stared at Eddie and nodded reluctantly. “Okay, just give me one second.” Buck got up from the couch as Eddie huffed.

He returned a minute later, and put his arm around Eddie’s shoulders, pulling him in close. He draped a cool cloth over Eddie’s forehead, and Eddie relaxed into Buck’s hold.

He tapped Eddie’s chest with the hand draped around his shoulders in an attempt to get his attention. Eddie lifted his head and looked over at Buck questioningly. 

Buck just smiled and kissed Eddie’s cheek, before pulling him in impossibly close. 

Eddie grinned and rested his head on Buck’s shoulder, a content sigh escaping his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> I hate them.


End file.
